A decade of design work paid off on July 13 as American Tackle Company took home “Best of Show” honors at sportfishing’s largest trade show with a sleek, nearly weightless custom rod component: the Tsuka 2 Complete Carbon Handle. “Components are often overlooked,” said American Tackle Company’s Darrin Heim, while adding “But at this point, it’s hard to overlook them because this is true innovation.”
This year’s ICAST New Product Showcase featured 1,087 new products from 292 companies. After 37 category winners were crowned on the Wednesday night of ICAST, American Tackle Company came out on top as the sole owners of “Best of Show.” “It’s great to be representing the rest of the custom rod builders and rod component companies in the industry,” Heim added.
Best of Rods
Freshwater Rod
St. Croix Mojo Bass TRIGON | St. Croix Rods
Saltwater Rod
NRX+ Inshore | Shimano
Rod & Reel Combo
Abu Garcia ZATA Baitcast Combo | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Best of Reels
Freshwater Reel
Stradic FM | Shimano
Saltwater Reel
Seapower 1200 | Daiwa Corporation
Best of Lures
Freshwater Soft Lure
Berkley PowerBait Nessie | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Saltwater Soft Lure
Mulletron LT (Line Through) Swimbait | Z-Man Fishing Products
Freshwater Hard Lure
ChatterBait Elite EVO | Z-Man Fishing Products
Saltwater Hard Lure
MIrrOlure The Duke Dog | L&S Bait Company
Best of General Tackle
Fishing Accessory
ENGEL USB Rechargeable Lithium-Ion XL Live Bait Aerator Pump | ENGEL Coolers
Soft and Hard Coolers
Flop Box 10 | Flop Industries
Electronics
Westin EscapeCam | Westin Fishing
Cutlery, Hand Plies or Tools
BUBBA Pro Series Smart Fish Scale | BUBBA
Kids’ Tackle
ProFISHiency Next Gen Crazy Combo | Anything Possible Brands
Tackle Management
Pontoon Boat Tackle Center | Boat Outfitters
Terminal Tackle
VMC Swingin’ Ned Rig Jig | Rapala
Custom Tackle and Components
American Tackle Tsuka 2 Complete Carbon Handle | American Tackle Company
Fishing Line
Mastiff Fluorocarbon | Shimano
Best of Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing Waders & Wading Boots
G4Z Stockingfoot Wader | Simms Fishing Products
Fly Lines, Leaders, Tippet and Line Accessories
BUZBE Colony 8T (THIN) | BUZBE
Fly Fishing Packs, Bags & Luggage
Flyweight Vest Pack | Simms Fishing Products
Fly Fishing Technical Apparel and Accessories
Master M6014 Edition | Renzetti, Inc.
Fly Fishing Reel
Cheeky Spray Fly Reel | Cheeky Fishing
Fly Fishing Rod
Hardy Marksman Z | Pure Fishing, Inc.
Best of Fishing Lifestyle
Motorized Boating Accessories
PowerPole Move ZR | Power-Pole
Non-Motorized Boating Accessory
BOTE WATER HAMMOCK | BOTE
Boats and Watercraft
Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL + 132 | Johnson Outdoors Watercraft, Inc.
Footwear
Ankle Deck Boots – Black | AFTCO
Ice Fishing
LiveScope Plus Ice Fishing Bundle LI with ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv | Garmin USA
Eyewear
King Tide 8, Black 580G Blue Mirror | Costa Sunglasses
Lifestyle Apparel for Women
Women’s Coverup Dress | Huk Performance Fishing
Lifestyle Apparel for Men
Ocean Bound Hooded Performance Shirt | AFTCO
Warm Weather Technical Apparel for Women
Mojeaux 1/4 Zip Performance Shirt | AFTCO
Warm Weather Technical Apparel for Men
Channel Hooded Performance Shirt | AFTCO
Cold Weather Technical Apparel for Women
Women’s Barricade Rain Suit | AFTCO
Cold Weather Technical Apparel for Men
Gale Pullover | Blackfish Gear
Novelties and Wellness
The GoMist Drink and Misting Bottle | ExtremeMist Personal Cooling Systems
To see some of these products up close and personal on your home computer or cellphone, look for biweekly New Product Reviews sent to your email address from The Fisherman Magazine on Mondays and Thursdays through 2024. For details go to TheFisherman.com.
